Art and food on the menu for Winchester pupils

WINCHESTER schoolchildren were treated to a day of painting and pizzas earlier this week.

Pupils from The Westgate, Kings’ and Henry Beaufort secondary schools got their creative juices flowing on Tuesday, with a day of art and cookery.

They met up with Jenny Muncaster and Rachael Alexander of artists’ group The Colour Factory to learn about the painted bollard ‘gallery’ in The Square, before heading to Jamie Oliver’s Union Jacks restaurant in The Broadway to make their own pizzas.

It came about after Mr Oliver and Chris Bianco, who runs the Winchester restaurant, sponsored one of the bollards earlier this year.

The Colour Factory unveiled the design to the children, and it will be painted later this month.

Ms Muncaster said: “Today is a continuation of inspiring children to be creative. Each bollard here is inspired by a different artist and the design for this particular bollard is based on Sir Peter Blake’s work, while it also reflects the interior of Union Jacks.”

Charlie Damant, head of Year 10 at Westgate, who co-ordinated the project with the other schools, said: “The idea was to get children who are creative and love cooking but who do not get many opportunities, and help them meet people who are in the business.

“I made contact with the other schools who were also very keen to be involved as it’s a fantastic opportunity for the children to meet someone who has had to fight to have a career.”

After making their pizzas the children went to The Colour Factory base in Gordon Road to create artwork based on both Sir Peter, who designed the sleeve for The Beatles’ album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and food.